New Mexico ends season after first round of WNIT

Senior Jaisa Nunn got a double-double of 26 points and 12 rebounds during her last game as a Lobo. Isabel Gonzalez/The Lobo Lair

Isabel Gonzalez
@cisabelg

Denver’s pace took the Lobos by surprised. The time it took for them to adjust, combined with offensive struggles and a sprinkle of defensive errors, turned into an 83-75 loss in the first round of the WNIT on Thursday night.
“It was really fast. The first two minutes I was trying to catch my breath because they just kept going,” said New Mexico senior Jaisa Nunn. “They are a really good offensive team and it showed.”
The game was played at The Pit, which allowed the Lobo seniors to play in front of their fans one last time. Nunn made the best of it by getting a double-double of 26 points and 12 rebounds.

Nunn fights for the rebound and puts it back to gain the Lobo lead! #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/l1OxbCkicN

— Lobo Women's Basketball (@UNMLoboWBB) March 22, 2019

Last week, the Lobos left the Mountain West Tournament after failing to hold on to a double-digit lead and losing 70-61 to the San Diego State Aztecs in overtime. That game was disastrous for three-point shooting, as New Mexico only made three out of 29 attempts. The Lobos didn’t perform much better in this category against Denver. They went 5-of-27, something head coach Mike Bradbury struggled to explain.
“We took a few bad ones, but for the most part it’s the ones we shoot all year,” he said. “I don’t know. I wish I could tell you why we didn’t make them. But you’re right, the last two games we didn’t. That was also unfortunate.”
Box score.
New Mexico finished the season with a 24-7 record. While Thursday night was not an ideal way to end a good 2018-19 campaign, Bradbury was looking at the big picture.
“We were 24-7 and it was the first time all year we lost two in a row. We got better from year one to year two. We got better from year two to year three. I think are going in the right direction,” the coach said. “I am happy with where we are going, I’m happy with who’s on the team, and I’m happy with who is coming in.”